Where there’s a will, there’s a way [short story]

Title

Creator

Odulio, Pacifico M.

Language

English

Year

1941

Subject

Short stories, Philippine (English)

Philippine fiction (English)

Education.

Rights

Fulltext

MARCH, 1941 THE YOUNG CITIZEN 93 READING Tll\IB FOR YOUNG FOLKS WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY By PACIFICO M. ODULIO • Success 1 ·ad crow11ed his efforts. jUANITO CAPALAD was one of the graduates of the elementary school who was afraid he could not continue· going to school after his graduation. "An education in the elementary school is good as far as it goes, but it's not enough," said J uanito to his parents. J uanito was a very bright pupil, a~d during his school days in the elementary grades had been a top-notcher. His parents were poor. His father was a tenant on one of the big estates of that part of the country. His father did not see how he could possibly send his boy off to school. . He felt he .could do nothing more than utilize the boy's help in his farm work. So J uanito staid on the farm during his vacation and helped his parents. In •Teacher of ~haracter Education, San Antonio Elementary School, San Antonio, Nueva Ecija. May he h~ard that his other classmates were getting ready to study in the ·high school or the trade school of their province. How Juanito wished he could do so, too! "Father," said Jua.nito one night before going to bed, "may I go to Manila and try my luck? I might be fortunate in Manila and get a job as a house·boy for some wealthy man who would send · me to school if I would work hard to earn what he might give me." . "How can I consent to let you go and try your luck in such a big city as Manila with the small earnings of a houseboy?" replied his father. "Why not stay with me here and help me ,in my work in the rice field?" "Oh, Father," said J uanito, "won't you give me permission to go to Manila and see what I -can do? I want very much to · have a better education, and I wish to go and try to help myself. Do let me go, Father." With much hesitation and many misgivings J uanito's father finally consented. So about the middle of May J uanito left his home and went to Manila, as the story books say, "to seek his fortune." On the very day of his arrival in Manila he started out to look for a job. He went down one of the business streets. He saw a boy with a shoe-shiner's box. He called to the ·boy. "Where can I get one like it," Juanito said. "I'll sell you this one for twenty-five centavos. You can get black, white, and yellow paste across the street if you want to go into business." J uanito bought the ·shoe-shiner's box 94 THE YOUNG CITIZEN and the necessary paste. Polishing cloths and brushes had been given with the box, so now Juanito was ready for work. Just then a man saw· him with his shoeshining outfit. "Here, boy, shine my shoes quick and I'll give you fifty centavos if you'll do a good job." "What luck!" thought Juanito. So he polished the man's spoes until they shone like a mirror. Sure enough the man gave him fifty centavos. "He is certainly generous," thought Juanito. · The boy continued walking down the street and secured two more customers, each of whom paid him ten centavos. Presently he came to a large, attractive looking building. Over the door was a. sign: Saint Catherine's Hall for Young Women. J uanito entered the gate and rang the porter's bell. The matron answered the ring .. Noticing the neat app~arance and smiling countenance of J uanito, she said, "What can I do for you, my boy?" "Will you please give me a job working in this dormitory as a houseboy?" "How did you know that I am in need of a houseboy at this very moment? It is lucky that you came just now. You look like a good boy, so I'll give you a chance." Juanito got the job. He was industrious and did his work well. Each afternoon he had several hours for himself, and then he went Ollt on the street to shine shoes.. He earned from twenty to fifty centavos almost every a!ternoon. The time for the· opening of classes in the high schools and colleges was fast approaching. Young college women were ·coming to the dormitory to live: As soon as a taxi or a calesa loaded with baggage stopped in front of th~ dormitory, J uanito rushed to meet the coming student. Each student always gave him ten or twenty centavos for his help. With an eye to business, J uanito made a contract with a number of different students to polish their shoes. Every day he added to his small but rapidly increas-· ing hoard of "school money." The school year came and went. By the following June J uanito. had earned .and saved enough money to start to high school. He arranged to c_ontinue his work as a houseboy ·at St. Catherine's . Hall and attend high school at the same time. It was a proud day for Juanito when, four years later, he graduated from high school. He was given a better job at the dormitory-the position as head boy, or as the Chinese would say, Number One Boy. ·He enrolled in a school of technology and in the course of time graduated from that institution. He soon passed a civil seryice examination and it was not very long until he had a good position. Before taking over his new duties, he went to his home for a few days. Every one knew th~ story of Juanito's success, and everybody in the barrio respected and admired the boy, for success had crowned his efforts. · "How did you do it, Nito?" asked one of his former classmates. "High school, technical school, and now a good job under the civil service." "I just did it-same as anybody could do. You know the old. saying, Where there is a will, there's a way." Young reader, do you believe in that old proverb? A good many .boys have (Please tu!"n to. page u6.) II6 VERDI (Continued from page IOI} How was it first produced? 15. How many operas did Verdi write? 16. Have you ever heard a grand opera? 17. Haye you h e a r d songs from any of YerdPs operas·? 18. Tell of Verdi's character. . 19. Read this article again, and then answer these questions. WHERE THERE'S .A WILL (Continued from page 94) THE YOUNG CITIZEN DRAGONS (Continued from page I04} MAR.CH, 1941 MORO MARRIAGES (Continue from page 98} The family history of the charges a fee-usually five lizard is interesting because· pesos or more. If the groom of its many relationships is rich, he may have some with birds and mammals. ten panditas . to solemnize At about the same time the his marriage. lizards were · appearing, If either of the contractnature was also producing from the much the same type of primitive reptil~s, the first birds and the early mammals. ing parties lives near a river, gai.ly decorated launches with flags and streamers of many colors may be hired for the occa-. sion. On top of the launches REVIEW grotesq~e animal he ·ads I. How many species of sway in th~ air. Bands of lizards are there? musicians are always abo~rd 2. What can you say of the launches to furnish the the sizes of lizards? music. 3. Describe some spetested it and found. that it c1es .. Dur in g the marriage celebration fire-crackers are lighted, guns are fired, and men and women shout at the top of their voices. is true. WHERE THERE'S 4. Where are lizards A WILL, TI-JERE'S A WAY. found? SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT 1. Do you think J uanito was right when he said, "An education in the elementary school is good as far as it goes, but it's not enough"? Why do you think so? 2. Why do you think J uanito was determined to have an education? 3. Why was Juanito willing to shine shoes and be a h~:mseboy? Would you be willing to do that if necessary ·to get an . education? 5. What is the food of lizards? A Moro datu or kagui 6. What can you say of can have as many wives as the tail of some· species of he wishes, provided· he can lizards? pay the dowries· asked. ·An 7. How do some lizards ordinary Moro is limited to run? four wives. A Moro who· 8. Tell of the "flying" has many wives is con-: lizard. sidered rich. A Moro who 9. The frilled lizard. 10. How are some lizards useful? 11. Why is the family history of the lizard interesting to scientists? 12. How many different kinds of lizards have you seen in the Philippin~s? has many daughters will become rich, because of the dowries that are sure· to come for his daughters. · Such are some of the Moro marriage customscommon place to Moros, but Strange to Filipinos who are not accustomed to them.

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